NOTES: The idea for this story grew out of a conversation we were having on SG1toCascade, precipitated by alyburns's call for alternate storylines for the rest of S8. Somebody, I believe it was alyburns, suggested putting Daniel in command of SG-1, I suggested Jim and Blair as additional team members, someone else said, "Write it!" And the rest is history.

"You heard me, Daniel," Jack returned calmly.

"Are you out of your mind? That's... that's..." Daniel flailed, failing to find words to sufficiently express his outrage.

"Crazy? Whacko? Deranged? Insane? Delirious?" Jack supplied helpfully. Daniel fixed him with a glare that would have had System Lords quaking at his feet, but Jack remained unaffected. "Yes, it's possible I have taken leave of my senses," he admitted equably. "But the fact remains, with Carter out of commission, I'm fresh out of experienced field commanders. You, Dr. Jackson, are it."

"Wha... what about Teal'c?" Daniel flung a hand towards the stoic Jaffa, who had so far been silently observing the exchange with an air of suppressed amusement.

Jack tilted his head and studied Teal'c, as if giving Daniel's suggestion serious consideration. "Actually, with the way we keep running through SG team leaders, I'm tempted to give Teal'c his own SG unit... if he'd only agree."

Daniel blanched in shock. He rapidly looked to Teal'c then to Jack and back to Teal'c, his eyes silently begging both men for reassurance that he was hearing this wrong. He got none.

"But Jack!" Daniel sputtered, "You can't do that! We've lost Sam, and if you take away Teal'c, that's, that's..."

"Daniel," Jack said. "Things change."

"Yes, I know, but..."

"In any case, Teal'c's refused."

Daniel looked up in surprise. "You did?" he asked Teal'c.

"Indeed," said Teal'c. After the uncomfortable silence stretched a moment too long, he decided to take pity on his two Tau'ri friends and deigned to explain further. "While it is a great honor to serve with the Tau'ri, my first and foremost responsibility is to my people. I feel that the position of commander of an SG team incurs obligations I may be unable to fulfill."

"Oh," Daniel blinked a few times, digesting that information. "Um, are you saying that...?" He flinched at Teal'c's raised eyebrow. "Right. Stupid question. Forget that." Waving his hands in dismissal of his own stupidity, he once again focused his attention on Jack. "Jack. I mean, there are other experienced team leaders you could put in charge. There's Reynolds, Edwards, Ferretti..."

"Who all have their own teams already," Jack pointed out patiently. "I could play musical chairs with SG team designations, call Ferretti's team SG-1, 3 could be 2, 4 could be 3... At the end of the day, I'm still short one SG team leader."

Daniel opened his mouth, tried to think of something to say, couldn't think of anything, so he snapped it shut.

"Good," Jack stated, taking silence as consent. "Now, for your new team members..." He reached out, snagged two folders off his desk and offered them to Daniel.

"Wait, wait!" Daniel yelped in panic. "I'm not military!"

"Yes, I know," Jack said, in his most patient, 'you're telling me the obvious but I'll put up with it for now' tone. "Which is why I'm assigning two more civilians to SG-1."

"An all-civilian unit?" Daniel asked, intrigued despite himself.

"Well, I don't know if I'd call Teal'c a civilian, though nominally he is," Jack said, tilting an eyebrow at Teal'c. "And Ellison's commission's been reactivated, so nominally, he's military, but..."

"Wait a minute, Ellison?" Daniel flinched away from the folders he'd been about to accept. "You're assigning Ellison and Sandburg to SG-1?"

"Thought you liked Sandburg?" Jack queried reasonably.

"Well, yes. Blair's an expert in cultural anthropology, has a more thorough knowledge and understanding of psychological theories than most practicing psychologists, he's great with people, he thinks fast on his feet, he's simply perfect for a first contact team," Daniel gushed.

"Good," said Jack, once again pushing the folders at Daniel, and this time succeeding in depositing them into Daniel's nerveless fingers. "That's settled, then." He leaned back and made a big show of checking his watch. "Now, I'd love to stay and chat, but..."

"Wait, Jack!" Daniel wailed. "Ellison?"

"Well," Jack said, with a definitive snap of his neck. "You want Sandburg, you take Ellison. They are a package deal. Remember?"

"Yes, but... Ellison?"

"Better you than me," Jack proclaimed, pushing himself out of his chair. "Have fun, Daniel. Teal'c." He nodded at Teal'c, who returned the acknowledgement in kind, and walked out of the office, leaving a stunned Daniel staring at the folders in his lap.

"Teal'c..." Daniel finally said in a small voice. "I suppose there's no chance we can get Sam back, is there?"

"Doctor Fraiser feels Colonel Carter is lucky she has not lost complete use of her legs," Teal'c stated, his voice kindly. "She will not be joining an SG team again."

"Yes, I know," Daniel whispered, biting into his lower lip so hard he drew blood. He finally looked up when Teal'c placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Teal'c's eyes offered him everything he needed -- understanding, shared sorrow and regret, loyalty and support, confidence and determination.

"Right." Daniel drew a deep shaky breath, and gripped the folders tight in his hand. "Let's go meet SG-1."